Location privacy selector

ABSTRACT

A wireless device capable of being located over a network by a requesting party comprises a phone, and a display to display a visually-continuous location privacy slider having at least five stops. Each of the at least five stops corresponds to a given combination of settings within the phone relating to a privacy of reporting of location of the wireless device to a requesting device.

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/067,942, entitled “Location Privacy Selector”, filed on Jul. 8, 2011,now U.S. Pat. No. 8,315,599; which claims priority from U.S. ProvisionalAppl. No. 61/344,383, filed Jul. 9, 2010, entitled “Location PrivacySelector” to KASAD et al., the entirety of both of which are expresslyincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to telecommunications, Voice OverInternet Protocol (VoIP), cellular communications, and location basedsystems. More particularly, it relates to security and privacy levels inwireless, mobile and telecommunications.

2. Background of the Related Art

The incorporation of tracking technology in today's handheld mobiledevices has led to a vast emergence of location based services. Thesetracking technologies generally include a precise, satellite-enabledGlobal Positioning System (GPS), as well as cell tower positioning andnetwork access points, among others, capable of delivering approximatelocation of a wireless device. Such tracking devices were initiallydeployed in mobile communications as a result of a 2002 US FederalCommunications Commission (FCC) mandate to incorporate such technologyin mobile devices in the event users need to be located throughout useof emergency services, such as in Enhanced 911 (E911).

Location based services enable user-permitted software applications oninternet-enabled wireless devices. These wireless devices oftenencompass a particular tracking technology, most often the GlobalPositioning System (GPS). Location technologies are also and/oralternatively network based, e.g., Position Determining Entities (PDE).

Location based applications obtain a particular device's geographicalposition, and then provide services accordingly. Example location basedservices include standard navigation and emergency applications, as wellas those attributed with business and entertainment. For instance, useof location based pull services allow users to locate other individualsor objects of interest. Businesses may use push services to sendpromotional information upon user consent, e.g., based upon a user'sproximity to a particular site of interest.

As location based services become increasingly prevalent and useful,location services also begin to raise concern for user privacy. In fact,as more applications begin to track and record individuals' whereabouts,some people wonder whether or not true privacy is possible anymore.After all, all recorded data concerning a user's location is owned bythe network to which the user subscribes.

To mitigate consumer concern, certain privacy measures have been enactedby the industry. For instance, a Location Privacy Checking Protocol(PCP) defines location privacy settings using five distinct states ofprivacy.

FIGS. 9-12 show the conventional use of visual “radio-button” typecontrols to communicate the five (5) different privacy states includedin the Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP).

FIG. 9 depicts exemplary POSITION_NOT_ALLOWED 130 andPOSITION_WITHOUT_NOTIFY 132 privacy profiles defined by the PrivacyChecking Protocol (PCP).

In particular, FIG. 9 portrays two basic Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP)privacy options that may be set by the user, usually in a settings'menu, to either allow or disallow a location server to disclose thelocation of that user's wireless device to any requesting application.These options form POSITION_NOT_ALLOWED 130 and POSITION_WITHOUT_NOTIFY132 privacy profiles. The POSITION_NOT_ALLOWED 130 privacy profiledisallows location based services to be notified of the whereabouts of auser's wireless device altogether. On the other hand, thePOSITION_WITHOUT_NOTIFY 132 privacy profile allows any location basedapplication to receive knowledge of the geographical position of auser's wireless device, and also indicates that the user does not wishto be notified about the release of this location information.

FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION 138 privacy profile definedby the Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP).

In particular, FIG. 10 builds upon the two basic Privacy CheckingProtocol (PCP) privacy settings by taking them one step further,introducing a “Receive Notification” option. Use of the “ReceiveNotification” option introduces a NOTIFY_POSITION 138 privacy profilethat allows the location of a user's wireless device to be disclosed aslong as the user is notified that this exchange of information is takingplace.

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_GRANTED 146 privacyprofile defined by the Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP).

In particular, FIG. 11 introduces a Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP)“Require Authorization” privacy option. If a user checks the “Yes” radiobutton indicating that they would appreciate this service, a user mustprovide authorization before a location server may divulge thewhereabouts of a particular wireless device. This leads to a new privacyprofile, NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_GRANTED 146.

FIG. 12 depicts an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_NO_RESPONSE 154 privacyprofile defined by the Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP).

In particular, FIG. 12 indicates the addition of a Privacy CheckingProtocol (PCP) “If No Response, Locate Anyway” privacy option. If a userselects the “Yes” radio button pertaining to this setting, then locationinformation is sent to the appropriate location server in the absence ofa user response to user authentication. This setting leads to yetanother privacy profile, NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_NO_RESPONSE 156. On theother hand, if the “No” radio button is selected in accordance with thisprivacy option, then location information may only be disclosed by thelocation server if it is authorized to do so by the user. Therefore, thegeographical position of a user's wireless device will not be revealedif that user fails to respond to an authorization message.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A wireless device capable of being located over a network by arequesting party comprises a phone, and a display to display avisually-continuous location privacy slider having at least five stops.Each of the at least five stops corresponds to a given combination ofsettings within the phone relating to a privacy of reporting of locationof the wireless device to a requesting device.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method ofimplementing a desired level of location privacy on a wireless devicewith a visually-continuous location privacy slide set to any of aplurality of stops each gradually increasing in location privacyrespectively from one end to the other, comprises establishing a firstcombination of privacy settings among a plurality of applicationsoperable on a wireless device when a lowest level of privacy is selectedby a slide stopped at a first stop position at one end of avisually-continuous location privacy slide. A second combination ofprivacy settings is established among the plurality of applicationsoperable on the wireless device when a central level of privacy isselected by the slide stopped at a central stop position of thevisually-continuous location privacy slide. A third combination ofprivacy settings is established among the plurality of applicationsoperable on the wireless device when a highest level of privacy isselected by a slide stopped at a last stop position at a second end ofthe visually-continuous location privacy slide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following description with referenceto the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary visually-continuous location privacy slider300 with multiple distinct privacy stops, each gradually being moreprivate in a position to the right and gradually being less private in aposition to the left, in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 denotes an exemplary five (5) location privacy stops as depictedin FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 denotes an exemplary POSITION_NOT_ALLOWED 128 privacy profile,e.g., at Level 5 on the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300,in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 4 denotes an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_GRANTED 126 privacyprofile, e.g., at Level 4 on the visually-continuous location privacyslider 300, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 5 denotes an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_NO_RESPONSE 124 privacyprofile, e.g., at Level 3 on the visually-continuous location privacyslider 300, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 6 denotes an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION 122 privacy profile, e.g.,at Level 2 on the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300, inaccordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 7 denotes an exemplary POSITION_WITHOUT_NOTIFY 120 privacy profile,e.g., at Level 1 on the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300,in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary visually-continuous location privacy slider500 having many, many distinct number of stop positions, in accordancewith the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 9 depicts exemplary POSITION_NOT_ALLOWED 130 andPOSITION_WITHOUT_NOTIFY 132 privacy profiles defined by the PrivacyChecking Protocol (PCP).

FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION 138 privacy profile definedby the Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP).

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_GRANTED 146 privacyprofile defined by the Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP).

FIG. 12 depicts an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_NO_RESPONSE 154 privacyprofile defined by the Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a method of simplifying the usermodification of privacy settings to a more exact and more easilyachieved proper level of location disclosure a user is willing to revealto requesting location based services. The method comprises a userfriendly visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 that permits auser to choose one of multiple pre-determined settings, combinations,e.g., each setting corresponding to one level of the five (5) PrivacyChecking Protocol (PCP) privacy settings that best fits their currentneeds. The visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 is preferablyset up in order of ascending privacy levels. Users may simplygraphically slide a visual pointer to the left to decrease their currentlevel of privacy, or slide the visual pointer to the right to increasetheir level of privacy.

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary visually-continuous location privacy slider300 with multiple distinct privacy stops, each gradually being moreprivate in a position to the right and gradually being less private in aposition to the left, in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention.

The present inventors have appreciated that creating a separate visualrepresentation for each state of privacy may be highly confusing and notas user friendly as possible. Moreover, many location-relatedapplications may each have individual settings relating to privacy,leading to a logistical nightmare for a user as the number of suchapplications grows on a given wireless device. The inventors haveappreciated that radio button-type control of privacy settings can makeit very difficult for an end user to set their privacy permissions to alevel which they desire. Furthermore, conventional button-type or on/offtype visual representation often consumes too much display real estateon a user interface. Also, it has been discovered that display of toomuch privacy-related information on a handheld personal data assistant,smart phone, or the like is difficult to achieve due to the typicallylimited screen size.

The present invention provides a visually-continuous location privacyslider 300 that has many slide stops. The embodiments disclosed hereinprovide a visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 with, e.g.,five (5) stops respectively corresponding to each of the five (5)defined levels in the Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP), but theprinciples of the invention are equally applicable to avisually-continuous location privacy slider 300 with many more than five(5) stops.

The multiple-stop singular visually-continuous location privacy slider300 is a user interface element on a wireless device such as a smartphone or the like that permits a user to quickly and easily set theirdesired privacy relating to multiple different applications—and evenwithout the need to fully understand the often complex logic associatedwith individual privacy settings often times separately adjusted in eachof many location-based applications on their wireless device. Thevisually-continuous location privacy slider 300 preferably implementsmultiple setting standards, e.g., at a minimum the five (5) pre-definedprivacy profiles defined by the Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP).

FIG. 1 shows a visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 with five(5) distinct stops to control different states of location privacy on agiven wireless device. The visually-continuous location privacy slider300 permits location settings to be configured easily, and in a timelyfashion, without the need for a device user to read through varioussettings menus and select various different options relating to variousaspects of their privacy, e.g., relating to their location, in each of aplurality of applications. The simplicity of the inventivevisually-continuous location privacy slider 300 simplifies establishmentof location based privacy settings in everyday mobile device usage. Awireless device may have its location privacy attributes quickly andsimply altered as the situation changes, as need be.

FIG. 2 denotes the exemplary five (5) location privacy stops, 1-5, asdepicted in FIG. 1.

In particular, the decision tree in FIG. 2 shows that if the slider ispositioned at stop 1 corresponding to Level 1 on the visually-continuouslocation privacy slider 300, a POSITION_WITHOUT_NOTIFY 120 privacyprofile is chosen, which is further depicted in FIG. 7.

If the slider of the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 isset to the second stop, Level 2 corresponding to a NOTIFY_POSITION 122privacy profile is chosen, which is further depicted in FIG. 6.

If the slider of the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 isset to the third stop, Level 3 corresponding to aNOTIFY_POSITION_IF_NO_RESPONSE 124 privacy profile is implemented, whichis further depicted in FIG. 5.

If the slider of the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 isset to the fourth stop, Level 4 corresponding to aNOTIFY_POSITION_IF_GRANTED 126 privacy profile is implemented, which isfurther depicted in FIG. 4.

If the slider of the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 isset to the fifth stop, Level 5 corresponding to a POSITION_NOT_ALLOWED128 privacy profile is implemented, which is further depicted in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 denotes the most-private selection, an exemplaryPOSITION_NOT_ALLOWED 128 privacy profile, e.g., at Level 5 on thevisually-continuous location privacy slider 300, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

In particular, the POSITION_NOT_ALLOWED 128 privacy setting, the fifthstop on the far right-hand side of the visually-continuous locationprivacy slider 300 shown in FIG. 3, turns off location detection 101 onthe user's handheld device and consequently causes denial of allrequests for information regarding the location of that user's wirelessdevice.

FIG. 4 denotes the next-to-greatest private selection, an exemplaryNOTIFY_POSITION_IF_GRANTED 126 privacy profile, e.g., at Level 4 on thevisually-continuous location privacy slider 300, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

In particular, the NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_GRANTED 126 privacy stop, e.g., afourth stop on the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 shownin FIG. 4, (though numbering need not be visually indicated to the user)permits location detection 102 and requires that a request forauthorization 104 be sent to the user, and a “Yes” response be receivedin return, for wireless device location to be disclosed. In this case, auser receives notification 103 of the disclosure of that user's wirelessdevice location. The NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_GRANTED 126 privacy setting doesnot make use of the “If No Response, Locate Anyway” privacy option.Thus, if no authorization response is received from the user, locationof a user's wireless device may not be revealed.

FIG. 5 denotes an exemplary NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_NO_RESPONSE 124 privacyprofile, e.g., at Level 3 on the visually-continuous location privacyslider 300, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

In particular, the NOTIFY_POSITION_IF_NO_RESPONSE 124 privacy setting,the third stop on the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300shown in FIG. 5 sends an authorization request 104 to the user when alocation-based application requests knowledge of the current location ofthat user's wireless device. If the user fails to respond to theauthorization request, the appropriate location server provides thelocation of that user's wireless device to any requesting applications.

FIG. 6 denotes the next-to-least private selection, an exemplaryNOTIFY_POSITION 122 privacy profile, e.g., at Level 2 on thevisually-continuous location privacy slider 300, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

In particular, the NOTIFY_POSITION 122 privacy setting, the second stopon the visually-continuous location privacy slider 300 shown in FIG. 6,permits location detection 102 and sends a user notification 103indicating information that the geographical location of that user'swireless device is being revealed, and the wireless device isimmediately located.

The NOTIFY_POSITION 122 privacy profile does not make use of the“Require Authorization” privacy option indicating that location basedservices do not need to receive authorization from a user beforereceiving information about a wireless device's geographical position.

FIG. 7 denotes the least-private selection, an exemplaryPOSITION_WITHOUT_NOTIFY 120 privacy profile, e.g., at Level 1 on thevisually-continuous location privacy slider 300, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

In particular, the POSITION_WITHOUT_NOTIFY 120 privacy stop, numbered 1on the far left-hand side of the visually-continuous location privacyslider 300 shown in FIG. 7, permits location detection 102 and allowslocation of a user's wireless device to be released without requiringnotification and/or authorization of the event.

FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary visually-continuous location privacy slider500 having many, many distinct number of stop positions, in accordancewith the principles of the present invention.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 8, the present invention entails avisually-continuous location privacy slider 500 that encompasses many,many multiple distinct levels of privacy, as otherwise shown anddescribed with reference to FIGS. 1-7. The visually-continuous locationprivacy slider 500 may be used to implement many, many multiple distinctstops such that it appears to the user that the visually-continuouslocation privacy slider 500 appears to have a virtually infinite numberof gradually increasing levels and degrees of privacy. The level anddegree of privacy established on the wireless device depends upon theposition of the pointer on the visually-continuous location privacyslider 500.

Each position of privacy on a visually-continuous location privacyslider 500 that encompasses multiple distinct levels of privacy areassociated with a particular numerical position value, e.g., 1 throughn. The position of the pointer of the visually-continuous locationprivacy slider 500 determines the level of privacy to be set. Certainprivacy settings are predetermined for particular numerical values, thehigher the numerical position on the visually-continuous locationprivacy slider 500, the higher the privacy established on the wirelessdevice. The numerical position is matched against pre-determined privacysettings to implement the desired privacy profile used.

For instance, if a user has chosen a maximum Location Privacy Level,e.g., Location Privacy Level n, then all privacy settings are set equalto true. On the contrary, if a user opts for the lowest possibleLocation Privacy Level, e.g., Location Privacy Level 1, all locationprivacy settings remain false. For levels of privacy between these twomaximum and minimum outliers, a user's location privacy settings maydepend upon the particular value, or range of values, of the numericalpointer on the visually-continuous location privacy slider 500.

The privacy settings may preferably be established upon exit from a menudisplay showing said visually-continuous location privacy slide, thoughit is also within the principles of the present invention to implementthe selected pre-determined combination of privacy settings whenever afinger leaves a touch screen on the display after having set the slide.

The invention has particular applicability to location privacy intelecommunication and media markets.

While the invention has been described with reference to the exemplaryembodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to makevarious modifications to the described embodiments of the inventionwithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wireless device locatable over a communicationnetwork, comprising: a display to display a visual location privacyselector having at least five stops; wherein each of said at least fivestops corresponds to a given location privacy setting for a wirelessdevice associated with a privacy reporting of location information, saidlocation privacy setting including location information not allowed,location information given without notification, notify when locationinformation given, notification of location information when locationinformation request authorized, and location information given if noresponse to authorization request.
 2. A wireless device locatable over acommunication network according to claim 1, wherein: said locationprivacy selector is a visually-continuous location privacy selector. 3.A wireless device locatable over a communication network according toclaim 1, further comprising: a phone.
 4. A wireless device locatableover a communication network according to claim 1, wherein: saidlocation information is requested by a requesting party device.
 5. Awireless device locatable over a communication network according toclaim 1, wherein: said at least five stops correspond to a givencombination of settings for individual location functions defined by aLocation Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP) standard.
 6. A wireless devicelocatable over a communication network according to claim 1, wherein:said communication network is a wireless network.
 7. A method ofimplementing a desired level of location privacy on a wireless device,comprising: establishing a first location privacy setting for anapplication operable on a wireless device when a visual location privacyselector is set on a first stop of said visual location privacy selectorcorresponding to location information not allowed to a requestingdevice; establishing intermediary location privacy settings for saidapplication when said visual location privacy selector is set on any ofa plurality of central stops of said visual location privacy selectorcorresponding respectively to: location information given to saidrequesting device without notification, notify when location informationgiven to said requesting device, and notification of locationinformation given when location request by said requesting device isauthorized; and establishing a highest location privacy setting for saidapplication when said visual location privacy selector is set at a laststop on said visual location privacy selector corresponding to locationinformation is given when no response to authorization request isreceived.
 8. A method of implementing a desired level of locationprivacy on a wireless device according to claim 7, wherein: said visuallocation privacy selector is a visually-continuous, linear locationprivacy selector.
 9. A method of implementing a desired level oflocation privacy on a wireless device according to claim 7, wherein:said wireless device includes a phone.
 10. A method of implementing adesired level of location privacy on a wireless device according toclaim 7, wherein: said location information is requested by a requestingparty device.
 11. A method of implementing a desired level of locationprivacy on a wireless device according to claim 7, wherein: saidlocation information is requested by a network location-based servicesserver.
 12. A method of implementing a desired level of location privacyon a wireless device according to claim 7, wherein: said first stop,said plurality of central stops, and said last stop correspond to agiven combination of settings for individual location functions definedby a Location Privacy Checking Protocol (PCP) standard.
 13. A method ofimplementing a desired level of location privacy on a wireless deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein: said location information of saidwireless device is requested via a wireless network.